Adjustment mechanism for microscopes



May 23, 1950 T. GQAITCHESON v ADJUSTMENT MECHANISM FOR MICROCOPES Filed Oct. 1 8, 1946 INVENTOR l atented May 23, 1950 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE ADJUSTMENT MECHANISM FOR MICROSCQPES Thomas G. Aitcheson, Kenmore, N. Y., assignor to American Optical Company,

Southbridge,

Mass, a voluntary association of Massachusetts Application October 18, 1946, Serial No. 703,967

1 1 Claim.

The present invention relates to microscopes and more particularly to a microscope using various medium and low powers of magnification and provided with a single adjustment mechanism of suitable construction and arrangement to af- -ford a smooth and accurate fine adjusting of the body tube associated therewith as well as a large range of travel, equivalent to that normally .for providing an easy and substantial uniform rate of movement of the miscroscope body tube throughout the entire range of its travel relative to the associated microscope stage. It is a further object of the invention to provide an adjustment mechanism which is positive when moving the body tube in one direction and yieldable when necessary when moving the body tube in the opposite direction for preventing injury to the parts should same accidentally strike an object on the stage. It is a further object of the invention to provide in such a microscope an adjustment mechanism enclosed within the supporting arm so that all parts thereof will be practically completely protected and concealed from view. These and other objects and advantages reside in certain novel features of construction, arrangement and combination of parts as will hereinafter be more fully set forth and pointed out in the appended claim.

Referring to the drawing:

Fig. 1 is a plan view of a microscope embodying the present invention;

Fig. 2 is a side elevational view of the microscope of Fig. 1 and showing parts thereof broken away to reveal details of the invention;

Fig. 3 is a sectional view taken substantially on line 33 of Fig. 2 and looking in the direction of the arrows;

Fig. 4 is an enlarged detailed showing of a portion of the mechanism of Fig. 2;

;-. Fig. 5 is a perspective view of an element employed with the mechanism of Fig. 4; and

Fig. 6 1s a showing of a slight modification of the structure of Fig. 4.

Referring to the drawing in detail, numeral l0 indicates generally a microscope embodying a hollow base or housing I2 having a curved supporting arm I4 secured to its upper wall [5 and arranged so that the upper end thereof slideably supports a movable supporting member it which carries a microscope body tube is for vertical adjustment of the objective or objectives thereon,

as the case may be, relative to the upper surface 20 of the hollow base l2, said surface serving as a stage of the microscope. In the present disclosure a pivotally mounted turret 22 is shown secured to the lower end or nose piece 24 ofthe body tube 88 and this turret is arranged to selectively support either an objective 26 or an objective 2? in alignment with the optical axis of the microscope so that an object or slide (not shown) may be positioned upon the surface 29 and held in place by spring clips 28 for observation through the eye piece 29 of the microscope. Obviously a turret for three or even four objectives could be used in place of turret 2'! if desired.

A built-in light source is indicated generally at 36 and the amount of light being supplied thereby to illuminate the specimen on the slide on the stage or surface 20 may be controlled by a rotatable diaphragm 32 which has a plurality of different size openings formed thereon, one of which is indicated at 33. These openings may be selectively brought into axial alignment with the microscope body tube and objective and eye piece aligned therewith by pivotal movement of the diaphragm about pivot means 34 secured to the under side of said upper wall l 5. A conventional snap switch 36 is provided in the electric circuit provided by leads 38 and is located on the upper wall [5 of the base near the rear thereof for controlling said light source.

A recess 40 (see Fig. 1) is formed in the upper front wall portion of the base I2 and a horizontal slot ti extends inwardly therefrom and through the front wall of the housing to accommodate the peripheral edge portion of the diaphragm 32 so that the diaphragm may be conveniently moved by the finger of the operator of the microscope when changing from one diaphragm opening to another of different size. A suitable detent in the form of a leaf spring 42 may be secured to the lower surface of the upper wall 15 of base I! and arranged to engage in any one of a plurality of suitably spaced grooves or like formations (not shown) in or on the lower surface ofv the diaphragm for properly centering and retainingeach aperture of the diaphragm in place when adjusted into axially aligned position. Obviously other forms of diaphragm retaining means could be used in place of structure shown.

In order that the operator may readily determine which aperture is in alignment with the light source and microscope body tube, a series of numbers may be provided near the peripheral edge of the diaphragm, each being suitably positioned opposite its associated aperture, so that the numbers will be each separately exposed to view in the portion of the diaphragm extending through slot 4-! when its respective aperture is in operative position. While various types of numbers may be used for the purpose, it has been found desirable to perforate'the diaphragm 32 with small Roman numerals. such as indicated at 43, which extend through thediaphragm so that light from the interior of saidhousing may shine through the exposed numerals and be readily visible to the Operator.

The light source 38, previously referred to. preferably. comprises a tungsten filament bulb M having. the major portion of its exposed surface silvered or. coated to. provide high light reflecting interior surface but has a. circular portion 45 thereoii left uncoated so that substantially all the light therefrom will be directed upwardly through the uncoated portion and the aligned aperture in the diaphragm andthrough a filter 41 cemented into a recess in the upperwall l5 of the base so that. the light from. bulb 44 will be filtered to provide nearly the equivalent of ordinary sunlight. The bulb M has screw threaded engagement with a socketliil which is clamped in a conventional manner toa supporting bracket 59 and thisbracket is inv turn secured to the lower surface ofithe uppen-wall l5=by screwsor the like 52 which. also serve to secure-supporting arm M to said base.

. The base. or housing I2 is preferably formed of a molded or cast construction and is provided at spaced locations in the interior thereof with integral projections 54 each of. which terminate a short distance above the lower supporting surfacelof'the basesothat an enclosing plate 55 may beisecured by screws or the like58 to these projections and serveto nearlycompletely enclose in the. bottom of the base so that a free space 50 isLformed-forthe entrance of a-ir into the interior for cooling the light source, and for allowing the escapeof the heated air a slet-onthelikefiz may beformed inthe upper central portion of the rear wall. of the base. A rubber bushing 64- is provided on. theelectrical leads 38 and so shaped thata central grooved-portion 56 thereof will slide intdand frictionally engage a slot formed in the lower central portion at the rear wall--- of said housing l2.

The vertically adjustable supporting member l6 carryingthe microscope body tube is provided with suitable guide surfaces engaging comple mentary guidesurfaces at-Eilon thesupporting arm. A stop means Fills-provided in the-upper portionrofmember l6 and. is arranged to engage the .upper. horizontalsurface-of the. arm i for limiting the downward-movement of the microscope. body. tube- A bracket. 12 is secured by screwsorthe like ina recess 14 (see Fig. 4) in the lowenportion of .the supporting member I 5 and has rearwardly. extendinglaterally. spaced lingers 18o formed. thereon tori providingabutments against which. the lower endof. acompression springassemblyv 18 bears. This spring assembly is-larrangedi-to continuously urgeathetmicroscope body tube I8 in a downward direction. Spring assembly :8 includes a hollow tubular member arranged to slide in a vertical bore 82 formed in arm i4 and the closed lower end of this tube 80 in engagement with spaced fingers 16 receives the lower end of compression spring 84 while the upper end of said spring is compressed by a plug 85 threaded into the threaded upper end of. bore 82. Upward travel of said bodytube is limited by engagement of the upper edge 89 of the tubular member an when it comes into engagement with plug 86.

The parts of the microscope are so constructed and arranged that stop member H! engages arm it to limit the downward movement of the microscope body tube It when the objective in alignment with thebody-tube reaches a position a little above the upper surface or stage 20 of the microscope. A11 adjustment mechanism, generally indicated by the numeral 90, is provided for moving fingers. i6 and thus the supporting member l6 and body-tube, i-8- upwardly in opposition to the spring pressure afforded by spring assembly. 18. This mechanism comprises. a set of reduction gears positioned within a substantially-concealed bay or recess 52 inthe curvedarm l4, The first of: these gears is a pinion gear 94 mounted upon a shaft 96 (see Fig. 3) extending outwardly through bushingsfitted into the arm l4. Shaft has adjustably positioned; in. a conventional manner on its outer ends a pair of' controlled knobs es. Friction means such assprlng washers 59; may be clamped by said knobs against said bushings to provide the desired amount of frictional resistance desired for said set of gears in opposing the downward pressure produced by spring. as and the weight of the body tube and associated parts.

Gear. 94, has meshing engagement with a larger gear llll pivotally mounted on shaft I02 extending through. the side walls of supporting arm M. A smaller gear )3 is mounted on said shaft and arranged to rotate with gear 101. Gear 103 in turn actuates a larger driving gear lilfi pivotally supported on shaft I06 likewise extending through the side walls of arm Id; In the assembly of theadjustment mechanism, shafts I02 and we are extended through the side walls and the associated gears and knurled end portions thereof; are pressed into tight frictional engagement with .one of the sidewall portionsiof arm 14. The gears. NH, 33 and IE5 are-retained in proper p0.- sltion'upon their respective supporting shaft by inwardly projectingintegral portions of the side walls of armHl, asindicated by numeral I07, and itis only necessary-to properly finish or machine these projections ll where. they are to be next to the gear hubs to provide. the close accurate fit desired for receiving said gears; as will be readily apparent to one skilled in the art. Projections :91 also serve as strengthening-ribs for the side walls-of arm Madjacent the recess .92.

Shaft IE6 is so positioned adjacent the free ends of fingers 'lfithatdriving gear H15 mayhave a-d-rivingconnection therewith-formed by a pin H38 carried thereby and in engagement with-the lower surfaces of these. fingers so astoprovide an-- upward pressure thereon for actuating; the body tube is. The pin 58 is at all timessubstantial1yin alignment with the downward forceon finger l6 producedaby compression-spring-Blso as to avoid as-muchas possible eccentric-loading of the slideablesupporting'member- It: In order that pin tDB maybe so positioned; driving: gear I95 is provided with a recessalOR- andfingersfli are spaced so that the part of the gear carrying pin I08 may be fitted therebetween and form a compact construction.

As pin I08 is moved upwardly in an arc from its lowest position shown in Fig. 4 to its highest position during adjustment of the microscope by knobs 98, it will have sliding engagement with the lower surfaces of fingers I6 and will travel approximately as far above the horizontal plane of shaft I 5 as it is adapted to travel downwardly thereof. Consequently, a fairly uniform rate of vertical adjustment of the body tube I8 is provided thereby and this rate is substantially uniform in regions near the center of this arc. If desired, small rollers might be positioned upon pin I08 for reducing frictional engagement with fingers I6. However, in the construction shown such rollers have been omitted.

The length of the tube 80 is so proportioned relative to the associate structure that its upper edge 88 will engage plug 86 and serve as a positive stop or limiting means so that pin I08 cannot move upwardly and rearwardly sumciently to cause it to swing from beneath fingers I6. Thus accidental disengagement of these parts is prevented. In order that a suitable stop means will be provided said adjustment mechanism when gear I05 is moving in the opposite direction, the edge H0 formed by the recess I09 in gear I05 is arranged so that it will swing into engagement with tubular member 80 and prevent further rotation of the gear train shortly after stop means I0 has come into action for limiting the downward travel of body tube I8. Since pin I08 has merely bearing engagement with each finger 16 a separable connection is formed therebetween. It will be clear that this construction provides an arrangement whereby the body tube and associated parts may be entirely freed from the driving gear, as the gears are being rotated to lower the body tube, in the event the objective, for example, should come into engagement with an object or the like on the microscope stage. In this manner injurious stress in the finely finished operating parts of the microscope are avoided and breaking of the object or slide by engagement by the objective is prevented.

In Fig. 6 is shown a slightly modified construction wherein an abutment H4 is provided integrally with the arm I4 for engagement with the forward edge IIO of the gear I05. Fig. 4 is preferred, however, primarily because of the economy involved in employing the adjacent surface of tube 80 as stop means for the gear I05 rather than forming the separate stationary portion I II on the arm I I. Nevertheless, it should be understood that either arrangement may be employed satisfactorily.

From the foregoing it will be apparent that I am able to obtain the objects of the invention and provide a microscope having an improved and inexpensive adjustment mechanism arranged to operate conveniently and efficiently with a built-in light source and light control means. Various modifications can, of course, be made in the structure disclosed without departing from the spirit of the invention or the scope of the appended claim.

Copending application Serial No. 703,998, filed Oct. 18, 1946, in the name of J. J. Host, now Patent No. 2,503,389, dated April 11, 1950, describes and claims other subject matter disclosed in this application.

I claim:

In a microscope of the character described comprising a suporting arm having a recess formed therein and a body tube supporting member carried by said arm and arranged for rectilinear movement relative thereto for focusing upon an object :positioned for inspection through said microscope, the combination of an abutment on said movable member having a pair of spaced fingers projecting into said recess, resilient means positioned in a bore in said arm and having an end portion urging said fingers and said movable member in a first direction, a manually operable adjustment mechanism carried by said arm and arranged to move said abutment and movable member in the opposite direction, said mechanism comprising reduction gearing including a relatively large driving gear pivotally mounted in said recess, said driving gear being positioned between said fingers and having its pivotal center located adjacent said abutment, said gear being rotatable through an angle of approximately ninety degrees during its normal range of adjustment for effecting coarse and fine adjustment of said body tube, a contacting pin carried by said driving gear and having its opposite end portions arranged to slidably engage substantially fiat surface portions on said fingers so as to act in opposition to said resilient means, said fiat surface portions being disposed generally normal to the path of movement of said abutment, a segmental recess in said driving gear for accommodating adjacent portions of said resilient means, said contacting pin being so radially spaced from the pivotal center of said gear that said gear when rotated through said angle will cause said abutment, movable member and body tube to travel through substantially said normal range, said contacting pin and fiat surface portions on said fingers being disengageable for allowing free movement of said pin away from said fingers when said gear is actuated to move said body tube in said first direction and when external means or the like prevents such movement of said body tube.

THOMAS G. AITCHESON.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS 

